Babies' First Christmas
by LovelyLadiiZ
Summary: Horatio and his wife, Angel, celebrate Christmas with the newest additions to their family—their twin infants, Gabriel and Seraphina. Companion piece to the Not Your Average Angel Series, but reading the series isn't necessary to understand this story.


**Author's Note: I figured I'd write this as a special Christmas treat. This a companion piece to the Not Your Average Angel series, set in the second story when Gabriel and Seraphina were still infants. However, if you haven't read the story, I'm sure you can catch on without reading the series. Merry Christmas, and I hope you enjoy!**

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Babies' First Christmas

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**_Sunday, December 25, 2005_**

It was Christmas morning in Miami, and Horatio couldn't help but recollect the Christmases of his past. He noted many differences to Christmas here in Miami as supposed to back in his hometown; however, he'd grown more accustomed to the holiday season in the South over the years. Snowy white Christmases were replaced with much hotter, humid ones. Instead of opening presents by the fireplace, he would crank the air conditioning to its lowest setting. His yearly ritual of bundling up before running out into the frigid freshly fallen snow to make snow angels and start a snowball fight was now a thing of the past. Though Horatio had to admit he missed the Christmases of his childhood, he had a newfound love for the holiday season in Miami. Sure, Christmas up North had its advantages, but sunny southern Florida had something New York didn't.

One word: family.

That single word never had such an impact on the redheaded lieutenant as it had this year. Not only had Horatio wed his wonderful wife, Angel, earlier on in the year, but in the summer, they had two beautiful fraternal twin babies—Gabriel and Seraphina. That very year was the twins' first Christmas, and for that very reason, Horatio knew it _had_ to be special.

In the midst of the season of giving, Horatio and Angel came to a mutual decision to forgo their own gifts that year to ensure their children had a bountiful first Christmas. Although they promised not to buy each other gifts, Horatio knew Angel planned something special for him, and he had quite a special gift lined up for his wife in return.

"Morning, babe," Angel greeted the redhead as he entered the kitchen that morning. She cradled their son in her arms, feeding him his morning bottle. Their daughter lay in her baby carrier, fussing and whining. "Help me feed Sera, will you? I've got two hands, and you need four to feed twins at the same time."

"Aw, what's the matter, princess? Mommy won't feed you your baba?" Horatio jested, picking up the child. He kissed the baby on the forehead. "It's okay, princess. Daddy's here."

"Keep talkin', and _Daddy_ won't get his special present tonight."

"…Have I mentioned how much I love you, sweetheart?"

Angel pursed her lips playfully as Horatio kissed her cheek. "Mm-hmm, that's what I thought."

The redhead took a seat, uncapping the pink bottle Angel prepared for Sera earlier. As H fed his daughter, he spoke to his wife.

"How'd you sleep last night?"

"Mm… okay I guess. Kept waking up through the night, though. Guess I was so excited about our babies' first Christmas that I couldn't sleep."

"You and I both, love…. You and I both."

Silence fell over the Caine couple for a brief moment. Angel finished feeding Gabriel, as did Horatio with Seraphina. After the parents burped their twins, Angel stood to her feet.

"Okay, I waited long enough. Present time!"

The children babbled and cooed blissfully as the Caine parents carried them into the living room. Angel sat on the couch and held both babies in her lap while Horatio fetched the gifts.

"These are from Eric and Calleigh." Angel said to the children. "I wonder what it could be?"

As Angel helped the twins open their presents, Horatio put in a mix CD of his and Angel's favorite Christmas songs. Bing Crosby's rendition of White Christmas played softly in the background while Horatio admired the Christmas tree Angel decorated. The artificial tree was pure white—since synthetically was the only way they could view a snow-capped tree in subtropical Miami. The tree was trimmed with silver garland and myriad sapphire and crystal ornaments. Cyan Christmas lights flickered in a spiral downward fashion once Horatio plugged in the pre-lit tree, and the pièce de résistance, a silver star twinkled at the top of the tree. Horatio marveled at how beautiful the Christmas tree turned out, especially since Angel managed to put it together less than a week before Christmas. Then again, he should have expected nothing less from the daughter of an interior decorator.

Angel gasped theatrically as she tore open the twins' packages. "Wow, matching teddies! You see that, Gabe and Sera? Godmommy and Goddaddy got you matching teddies!"

Horatio chuckled to himself, realizing Angel seemed more excited than the twins themselves. He kept watching the small children and the much larger child at heart.

The twins received a set of bottles and binkies from their Aunt Yelina and Cousin Ray, Jr.; hand-knitted blankets from Angel's oldest brother and wife, Chris and Delilah; and toy rattles from Angel's other brother, Danté. Once the other presents were opened, Horatio pushed forward the presents from Angel and himself.

Angel picked up two flat boxes. "These are from Mommy."

Horatio helped the babies open Angel's gifts. Horatio pulled the gifts from the boxes—a blue play mat for Gabriel and a pink one for Seraphina. The father unfolded the mats and set the twins down.

"Who's that?" Angel asked her daughter, pointing to a mirror on her pink play mat. Seraphina gave a toothless smile, cooing at her reflection.

Horatio squeaked a toy on Gabriel's play mat, but Gabriel seemed more interested in the cardboard box as he wriggled toward it.

"Hey, buddy, that's not your present…" Horatio said as he picked up Gabriel. He sat the baby boy in his lap and grabbed the last present. "Here we are. This one's to you and Sera from me."

Horatio ripped a corner of the shiny red paper, allowing Gabriel to finish the rest. The father moved the torn wrapping paper to reveal the twins' gift: a rainforest themed baby gym. Gabriel squealed. Seraphina wriggled on her belly upon hearing the commotion and squealed too. Angel took out the gym and set it up before the twins. Once it was ready, she sat both babies in the center. Seraphina shook a rattle attached to the baby gym, laughing and kicking her little legs each time the rattle made a sound. Gabriel, on the other hand, scooted toward the large brown box and pulled it on top of himself.

"Dadadadadada!" Gabe cried, his little voice echoing throughout the empty box.

"Next year I say we just get the boy a box," Angel mumbled.

Horatio chuckled. "Buddy, what are you doing?"

H picked up the box and tickled his son. Gabriel giggled uncontrollably, toppling over.

"Uh-oh!" Angel said, leaning down to sit her son upright. "Mommy's little man fell down!"

"Uh-oh!" Sera mimicked her mother.

Angel put Gabriel back on the mat of the baby gym alongside his sister. She rattled a toy for Gabriel, waiting for him to grab hold. Once he did, he squealed and kicked his feet just like his twin.

"Now that they're finally occupied…" Angel stood to her feet and held out an envelope to Horatio. "Merry Christmas, babe."

Horatio smiled as he received his gift. "Love, I thought we said no presents this year. That was _your_ rule."

"Well, some rules are meant to be broken. Go on, open it."

Horatio opened the envelope and smiled. "A gift certificate to Men's Warehouse. Thank you love. And this… this is for you."

"I _knew_ you were up to something…" Angel matched her husband's grin as he gave her a small box. She slowly tugged at the white satin ribbon to the tiny parcel. She uncapped the box, gasping when she saw what was inside. "A locket… it's beautiful."

"It was my mother's. Since she didn't have a daughter, she gave it to me and told me to give it to the mother of my children." Horatio helped Angel put on the heart-shaped locket as he continued speaking. "What better gift to give the mother of my children on our babies' first Christmas."

Angel smiled, growing teary eyed. "I don't know what to say... it's perfect. Thank you."

Horatio gave his wife a tender kiss on the cheek. "Merry Christmas, love."

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The End


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